London Private Sixth Forms Exams

Firstly, on this page, you will find links to our London Private Sixth Forms exams.

In England, Wales, Northern Ireland and some Common Wealth countries a Sixth Form refers to the last 1-3 years of schooling. This is usually between the ages of 16 and 18. A Sixth Form education is to prepare for A-level exams, at the end of Year 13.

The word comes from an earlier system of schooling in England and Wales. The first 5 years of secondary schooling were divided into forms. You would move up a form every year until the fifth form. If you stayed on at school to prepare for A-levels you would then go onto the sixth form. This system was changed from the 1990-1991 academic year. School years are now chronologically numbered. Schooling starts with Reception (year turning 4) with Year 1 (year turning 5) following.

For most schools Sixth Form, therefore, consists of Year 12 (Lower Sixth) and Year 13 (Upper Sixth).

Although most English Private Secondary schools have a Sixth Form as part of the school, these can also be independent.

Educational News

Elite private schools have requested that universities cut back on their unconditional offers to undergraduates. Mike Buchanan, the executive director of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC), which represents many of the country’s most expensive independent schools, is of the opinion that when learners accept these offers that do not require specific A-level grades, they tend to ‘take their foot off the gas’. He emphasised that these A-level results stay with these learners for the rest of their careers. He suggested that universities should only make such an offer after they have assessed, through an interview or communication with the school, whether it would be a suitable offer for that particular student.

Until recently only a few school-leavers were presented with unconditional offers from universities. However, since the government took the cap off funded undergraduate numbers, these offers are more commonplace. Although there is little recent evidence that these offers result in disappointing A-level grades, private school headteachers have been hostile to it. Their main reason being the potential impact on the school’s results and ranking on the league tables. Another point of contention is the fact that A-level results are often viewed by recruiters of graduate programmes and could, therefore, impact learners later on in their careers.

Private School News

The inequality between independent schools and state schools are constantly highlighted. Throughout schooling, exams and until University children are constantly faced with social and economic inequality. How to combat this. In Aug 2018, education minister Nadhim Zahawi suggested a solution or should we say his own priority. Mr Zahawi proposed a government-backed scheme under which 40 private schools provide boarding places for looked-after children.

Although this might sound like a great idea, his motives were clear when Mr Zahawi told Newsnight that Labour “would never be able to abolish” private schools if private schools help improve the life chances of vulnerable children. This human shield approach might be exactly what these children don’t need. Yet private schools attain tax breaks through their status as charities. The Guardian reported that between 2017-22, private schools will get tax rebates totalling £522m as a result of their status as charities. Yet the state sector is so starved for resources that head teachers spend a large chunk of their time having to fundraise for essential subjects.